Cave Story Lethrys Upscale

Happy 16th, Cave Story!

I made my own 2xRes Cave Story upscale that anyone can use.

Downloads:

https://lethrys.com/lethrysupscale

Github repo: https://github.com/Lethrys/Cave-Story-Lethrys-Upscale

Freeware build: https://doukutsuclub.knack.com/database#search-database/mod-details/5fdf87dc6e0d15001bdceffe/

Features of this upscale:

- Base game is 100% complete, from Start Point to end credits, as well as a few (but not all) unused sprites
- Remains faithful to the original art style
- (Hopefully) free of asymmetrical sprites, leftover 1xRes pixels, and other weird inconsistencies seen in the Nicalis upscale
- Compatible with Freeware, CSE2, and Cave Story+
- Made for open community use

Spoiler: Screenshots (Old)

Instructions for enabling 2xRes:

Freeware:

Install Clownacy's .DLL mod loader and set sprite_resolution to '2' in /mods/graphics_enhancement/settings.ini

That, or use the Doukutsu2x executable if you somehow have it.

CSE2:

Step 1: Wait for Nicalis to allow CSE2 to exist again

After you have done that: In src/CommonDefines.h, set SPRITE_SCALE to '2', and compile using the instructions in the readme. This define only exists on enhanced branches.

Cave Story+:

Cave Story+ by default supports 2xRes and should be able to load these spritesheets. Just insert them.[/SPOILER]

 

You are a legend for seeing this project through to completion. Thank You.

 

Oh wow, nice. This is something a lot of us have been interested in seeing, but it was sort of discouraged for a while when CS Wiiware first came out. Admittedly, some parts of it look a lot like the NICALiS graphics, but in some places that's pretty hard to avoid. I like your different take on the Quote and Curly sprites, that makes their proportions a bit more believable. I was never a huge fan of the art styles that made their heads as big or bigger than the rest of their bodies.

 

I'm glad you finished this, I can't wait to use it whenever I play Cave Story+. Thanks a bunch.

 

This is completely bonkers. I think I'm going to replace my actual CS+ graphics with this. Also, i love the character redesigns, can't wait to either redownload CS+ or dig through the internet for a doukustu2x executable.

 

i totally forgot to comment on this, but holy shit, congrats on sticking through the whole thing!

 

dig through the internet for a doukustu2x executable.

iirc Serena had it, you could ask her if she still has it and use it with this.

Edit : She put it in her thread for modding

 

Happy 19th, Cave Story!

After three years, the Lethrys Upscale is due for an upgrade. While I've been working on this on-and-off since the upscale first released, the only updates I've pushed publicly are fixes related to consistency, nothing more. This update enhances the visual polish by tweaking certain textures and completely reworking others. It didn't take any real hits to accuracy, and integral completeness was still maintained. This branch had no clear-cut goal in mind other than to fix everything that bothered me or was unanimously considered bad about the original upscale, but I wanted to get this out there so that I'm not just holding it to myself. Don't expect to be blown away by a total conversion, just think of this as what the upscale should have been when it released. This is the version of the upscale I'll be maintaining from here on out, with the previous branch being rebranded to 'Lethrys Upscale Legacy' for distinction. I've also released an installer for Cave Story+ that supports Curly Story, Challenges, etc. through patch files, thanks to epithetic's unipatch.

Downloads are now hosted on my website at https://lethrys.com/lethrysupscale.

Spoiler: Changelog off the top of my head

Redesigned:

- Quote
- Curly
- Misery
- PrtCave/Mimi/White/Hell texture
- PrtMaze texture
- PrtOside texture
- PrtCent/Jail texture
- Weapon icons
- Whimsical Star
- x3 Missile pickups

Tweaked:

- King
- Beetles
- Ravils
- Demon Crown
- PrtEggs
- PrtSand/Gard
- Life/EXP Capsules
- Teleporter icons
- Various effects in Caret
- Spherical effects in NpcSym

 

Oh, hello there, Leth! I remember using your upscale for Genocide mod and "Programmer Art" Modern Quote sprite (although it wasn't much of an art, as I just downscaled the sprite as I thought Quote's design in Legacy variant was different enough to be a new character).

Regardless, it's a good thing that you keep improving your own work as you desire.